Aftermarket

Alcoa Says New Wheel is Lightest in Trucking

Alcoa Wheels

MATS, LOUISVILLE, KY -- Alcoa has rolled out what it says is the world’s lightest heavy-duty truck wheel.

Unveiled at the Mid-America Trucking show in Louisville, Ky., the new 40-pound wheel is said to be 47% lighter than steel wheels of the same size.

The Ultra One can help save up to 1,400 pounds per rig, enabling fleets to carry more goods while meeting stringent federal emissions regulations, according to the company.

To take out 5 pounds out of its lightest heavy-duty truck wheel, Alcoa invented a new alloy, known as MagnaForce. It is on average it is 17% stronger than the industry standard, Alcoa’s 6061 alloy, in similar applications.

The Ultra One Wheel with MagnaForce alloy is available in the industry standard 22.5-inch by 8.25-inch size for heavy-duty, commercial transportation, and is being readied in all OEM customer data books.

Fleets have increasingly converted to aluminum wheels that offset the weight of necessary pollution-control equipment used to meet federal emissions regulations, says Alcoa.

“Lighter wheels also improve fuel economy, making up for rising fuel prices and helping move goods in a cleaner way,” the company said in a release. “And if trucks burn less fuel, they emit fewer greenhouse gases. Replacing steel wheels with aluminum wheels on an 18-wheeler offsets the annual carbon footprint of an average family of four in America.”

In addition, Alcoa says it aluminum wheels are six times brighter than competitors’ wheels, and because they are corrosion resistant and do not require stripping and repainting, lower operators’ maintenance and operating costs.